Pacers Notes: Jones, Sheppard, Mathurin, I. Jackson, Walker
Kam Jones‘ contract for next season is only 50% guaranteed, prompting Forbes contributor Tony East to consider what the Pacers might do with the rookie guard this offseason. East suggests that pushing back Jones’ guarantee date from June 30 to sometime in July, allowing him to play for Indiana’s Summer League team, is one option the two sides could explore.
The 38th overall pick of last year’s draft, Jones’ NBA debut was delayed until late December due to a back injury, and he has been in and out of the rotation the past few months, East notes. While the former Marquette standout is technically under contract through 2028/29, the final two seasons are fully non-guaranteed.
Jones’ future with the Pacers could be tied to whether or not the team keeps its top-four protected pick in the upcoming draft, East observes, since Indiana doesn’t have many roster spots available. Keeping Jones or waiving him and using the stretch provision to spread his 2026/27 cap hit over multiple seasons are among the other options for the Pacers, East adds.
Here’s more from Indiana:
- Third-year guard Ben Sheppard will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this summer. After a slow start to the season amid a wave of backcourt injuries, Sheppard has found his footing since he returned from a calf strain in late December, showing growth on the offensive end while taking on difficult defensive assignments, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star (subscriber link). “I’ve been able to experiment within my game and my comfort level this season,” Sheppard said. “Just all the moving pieces, people coming in and out, offensive rhythm has been kinda off, but with all my coaches in my corner and my teammates in my corner just trying to be more aggressive and take my opportunities as they come. I feel like I’ve been finding my shot a lot of different ways that I haven’t gotten last year or the year before. Just creating a little bit more and just looking at the rim more.”
- In a story for his website Circle City Spin, East takes an inside look at the returns of Bennedict Mathurin and Isaiah Jackson, who faced the Pacers in Indianapolis on Friday night for the first time since they were traded to the Clippers ahead of the February deadline. The former first-round picks received a tribute video and a warm reception from fans during the first stoppage in play, which Mathurin appreciated. “It meant the world. Indy is like my first home. I was able to get drafted over here. Just being loved by the fans,” Mathurin said. “I love the fans. I would say that they were the best fans in the world. Now, we have a different group of fans. It’s all love.” Head coach Rick Carlisle called the moment “heartwarming” and said he was happy both players have played well for Los Angeles, per East. “We just weren’t going to be able to make it work with Benn contractually,” Carlisle said of Mathurin, who will be a restricted free agent in a few months (Twitter link via East).
- Jarace Walker suffered a head injury in the first quarter of Friday’s contest and was later ruled out for the remainder of the one-point loss because he was being evaluating for a concussion (Twitter link). Carlisle didn’t have much of an update on the third-year forward afterward, according to East. “I don’t know that he’s going to be in concussion protocol… we’ll see what’s what on Sunday,” Carlisle said.
Bucks’ Kevin Porter Jr. (Knee) May Miss Rest Of Season
Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. is listed as out for Saturday’s game against San Antonio due to synovitis in his right knee, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. It will be the fifth consecutive absence for Porter.
According to Nehm (Twitter link), head coach Doc Rivers said he’d be “surprised” if Porter is able to play again in 2025/26, which suggests the 25-year-old’s season may be over.
In his first full season in Milwaukee, Porter has been limited to just 38 appearances due to health problems. He has averaged 17.4 points, 7.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists in 33.2 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .465/.322/.878.
Porter sprained his left ankle in the Bucks’ season opener, and as he was working to make his way back from that injury, he sustained a torn meniscus in his right knee. He wound up missing another four weeks due to that injury following surgery. He also missed four straight games earlier this month due to swelling in his right knee, a common symptom of synovitis.
The 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Porter has been involved in several off-court incidents over the years, both before and after he was drafted. He missed the entire 2023/24 season following domestic violence allegations, which resulted in an NBA investigation that reportedly concluded last July.
Porter holds a $5.4MM player option for 2026/27. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines that option.
Southwest Notes: Bagley, Flagg, Jackson, Durant, Spurs
Marvin Bagley III, the No. 2 pick of the 2018 draft, has bounced around the league in recent seasons. He had one of his best games in years for the Mavericks in a 100-93 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday. Bagley scored 26 points, his biggest single-game output since the 2022/23 season.
“He was being dominant,” P.J. Washington told Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal. “We were finding him and giving him the ball and just letting him do him. He’s scoring at a high level in the paint. He’s just a mismatch nightmare for them tonight. When he’s in the pick-and-roll, it’s good for us. If we hit him in the pocket, he can make plays, he can pass, he can score.”
Bagley, traded by the Wizards to Dallas last month, will be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- In the same game, Cooper Flagg continued his push for the Rookie of the Year award, scoring 24 points. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd told the Dallas Morning News’ Brad Townsend that Flagg’s candidacy should be a priority for the organization during the season’s final weeks. “Yeah, I think it’s a big priority that the organization pays attention to this. But it’s not just the organization,” Kidd said. “This is a partnership, and Cooper has to be able to do his part. And he’s doing his part. He’s having a historic year as a rookie. When you put his numbers up against past rookies who have won the award, it’s clear-cut that it’s not even close that he is the one that will win Rookie of the Year.”
- Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II is exasperated that stars like Kevin Durant get calls that other players don’t. “It’s unbelievable how the refs can suck up to somebody,” Jackson said, per Clay Bailey of The Associated Press. “He’s the GOAT, so I respect that, but as far as us other guys, we bust our [tails] like he does.” Durant didn’t have an inordinate amount of free throws in the Rockets‘ 10-point win on Friday. He went to the line seven times while scoring 25 points.
- While the Spurs’ general lack of playoff experience might make it seem unlikely that they’d win the championship this season, there’s growing sentiment around the league that they can overcome that. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst quote several insiders from across the NBA who believe San Antonio will wind up as champions.“Everyone says they don’t have experience, but they have a lot more than anyone gives them credit for,” an Eastern Conference executive told Windhorst. “Harrison Barnes and Luke Kornet have championship rings. De’Aaron Fox is one of the league’s best clutch players and he’s been in the playoffs. Do you think Victor (Wembanyama) is going to be intimidated by the moment? Good luck with that.”
Grizzlies Add Adama Bal On 10-Day Deal
11:15am: The 10-day deal is official, according to the team (Twitter link).
10:34am: The Grizzlies have agreed to a 10-day contract with Adama Bal, HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto tweets.
Bal went undrafted last year out of Santa Clara. The 6’7″ French forward has spent this season with the NBA G League’s Westchester Knicks after being signed and waived by New York in October.
In 29 games, Bal has averaged 7.4 points and 1.8 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per contest. He’s shooting 35.4 percent from the field.
Bal was a two-time All-WCC First Team selection at Santa Clara. In his senior year, he averaged 13.4 points, 3.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 31.2 minutes per game. He shot 36.9 percent from three-point range in 107 college games, which also included two seasons with Arizona.
Memphis also has two other players on 10-day deals — Tyler Burton and DeJon Jarreau. The Grizzlies have been granted multiple hardship exceptions due to a multitude of injuries, allowing them to carry a handful of extra players beyond the usual maximum of 15.
Memphis has declared six players out for the season, while three others missed Friday’s game against Houston due to various ailments. Those six season-ending injuries – to Ja Morant, Santi Aldama, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Scotty Pippen Jr., Zach Edey, and Brandon Clarke – make the team eligible for three hardship exceptions.
Northwest Notes: Grant, R. Williams, Murray, George, J. Williams
It was a rough Friday night for the Trail Blazers, who lost to Dallas while two frontcourt players departed early due to injuries. Forward Jerami Grant felt a “pop” in his right calf while running down court in the third quarter and did not play in the final quarter. He’s expected to undergo further medical testing on Saturday, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Center Robert Williams tweaked his lower back in the first half and didn’t play after the break.
“They’re very important for us,” Blazers All-Star forward Deni Avdija said of Grant and Williams. “They’re a really, really big part of our team. They’re great players. And I hope they’re OK. I haven’t checked with them yet, but I hope they’re going to come back fast because we need those guys on the court for sure.”
Here’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Jamal Murray set a new Nuggets franchise record for three-pointers in a season on Friday. Murray hit his 221st three-pointer in a win over Utah, surpassing Michael Porter Jr.‘s previous mark. He finished with 31 points. “I remember every single time I yell into the crowd,” Murray said, per Vinny Benedetto of the Denver Gazette. “It’s just a good feeling when they cheer you on and know what’s coming. They know I’m going to shoot some tough shots and probably make it. … I gain more confidence as they yell more and appreciate it more. It’s just fun to have those interactions and lift up the crowd.”
- Keyonte George is now ineligible for postseason awards due to a hamstring injury that has kept him out since March 11. However, he has tried to remain a positive influence off the court. “Nobody wants to get hurt and Keyonte has put in a lot of work,” Jazz head coach Will Hardy said, per Sarah Todd of the Deseret News. “But he’s a good teammate, and he cares about the other guys. He also recognizes his position in our locker room and on our team. When you want to be somebody that’s in a leadership role…he understands that he has to give himself to the group, and he has to be there for the guys that are playing.” In his third season, George is averaging 23.6 points and 6.1 assists per game in 54 games — he would’ve been a Most Improved Player candidate if he had reached the 65-game benchmark. He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
- Jalen Williams has been sidelined for two stretches this season due to hamstring injuries. The Thunder forward admitted to ESPN’s Vince Goodwill that it affected him mentally. “It’s an eerie feeling,” Williams said. “When you pull it, it’s such a new feeling, the movements you do when you’re ramping back up is scary. But now I have confidence, working out, I don’t think about it when I’m playing.” Williams appears to be rounding to form. He had 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds in 27 minutes against Chicago on Friday.
Bulls Eliminated From Postseason Contention
The Bulls were mathematically eliminated from postseason contention on Friday when they lost at Oklahoma City. Chicago (29-44) has nine games remaining and is 9.5 games behind Miami (39-35), the current No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference.
After another mediocre start to the season — the team was 24-25 through the end of January — Chicago pivoted to a rebuild by trading away several veteran’s ahead of the February 5 deadline. The Bulls have gone just 5-19 since the start of February.
Chicago’s roster could look quite different in 2026/27, as 10 of the 18 players currently under contract could be free agents this summer. That group includes third-year forward Leonard Miller, who has a $2.4MM team option for next season.
The Bulls are the ninth NBA team to be eliminated from postseason contention, joining Indiana, Brooklyn, Washington, Sacramento, Utah, Dallas, Memphis and New Orleans. The Bucks (29-43) will be the 10th and final team eliminated prior to the play-in tournament if they lose another game or the Hornets, Magic and Heat each win another game (they’re all at 39 victories).
Chicago is also currently ninth in the reverse standings, giving the team a 20.3% chance at a top-four pick and 4.5% odds at No. 1 overall. If the Bulls remain in that same spot when the regular season ends, they’d have a 50.7% chance of selecting at No. 9 in the 2026 draft.
Wolves’ Naz Reid Fined $50K By NBA
Timberwolves big man Naz Reid has been fined $50K for “questioning the integrity of game officials,” the NBA announced on Friday (via Twitter).
Reid received a technical foul and was ejected for the incident, which occurred with 4:13 remaining in overtime during Wednesday’s comeback win over Houston (Twitter video link via ClutchPoints).
A former undrafted free agent, Reid was named the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2024 and is among the frontrunners for the award again this year. In 70 appearances (26.1 minutes per game) in 2025/26, the 6’9″ center/forward has averaged 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block on .466/.372/.732 shooting splits.
Reid is earning approximately $21.6MM in the first season of a five-year, $125MM contract, so the fine won’t significantly impact his financial outlook.
UNC’s Caleb Wilson Declares For 2026 NBA Draft
UNC star Caleb Wilson has declared for the 2026 NBA draft, he announced on Instagram (hat tip to Lindsey Schnell of The Athletic).
Wilson, a 6’10” forward/center, is widely projected to be a top-five pick in the upcoming draft, which will occur in June.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Wilson appeared in 24 games as a freshman for the Tar Heels, averaging 19.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.4 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest while shooting 57.8% from the field and 71.3% from the free throw line. He earned numerous accolades for his efforts, including a spot on the AP All-America Second Team.
While Wilson had a stellar season with North Carolina, he missed the team’s final 10 games due to injuries. He fractured his left hand last month and had been sidelined since February 10 — he had hoped to return at some point in March before he sustained a broken right thumb, which required surgery.
The Tar Heels went 19-5 with Wilson in the lineup in 2025/26, but just 5-5 without him, ending the season on a three-game losing streak, including a first-round loss in the NCAA tournament.
Many mock drafts and big boards have Wilson at No. 4 overall in what’s viewed as an exceptionally strong class. He’s reportedly expected to be cleared for basketball activities during the pre-draft process.
Stephen Curry (Knee) To Be Reevaluated Next Week
7:50 pm: Head coach Steve Kerr acknowledged that time is running out for Curry to return this season, per Slater (Twitter link).
“We’re not bringing him back (only) for the play-in game,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “He’d need to play some games. We need to give him a runway if this is going to work. And we are running out of games.”
Moses Moody also underwent surgery on Friday to repair his torn patellar tendon, tweets Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
6:54 pm: Warriors guard Stephen Curry will be reevaluated sometime next week as he continues to deal with a right knee injury, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter link).
Golden State hosts Washington on Friday and plays at Denver on Sunday, and Curry will miss both of those contests. He has been out since January 30 due to patellofemoral pain syndrome, colloquially known as runner’s knee.
While Curry, who turned 38 years old this month, “continues to make good progress,” he still hasn’t participated in a 5-on-5 scrimmage yet, the team announced in a press release (via Twitter). That’s supposed to happen in the “coming days,” per the Warriors.
Even though he’s been out for two months — he’ll be up to 25 consecutive absences after Sunday — Curry hasn’t given up hope on potentially returning this season, sources tell ESPN (Twitter link).
Following Sunday’s contest in Denver, Golden State returns home for a five-game stretch against four playoff teams. The Warriors’ final two games will be on the road (at Sacramento on April 10 and at LAC on April 12).
The Warriors also announced injury updates on Al Horford (right soleus strain), Seth Curry (left adductor strain) and Quinten Post (right foot soreness). Horford has begun light on-court workouts but is out at least one more week, while Seth Curry and Post are considered day-to-day.
Horford and the younger Curry brother have both missed the past seven games due to their respective injuries, while second-year big man Post has been out for the past two contests.
Pistons Notes: Huerter, Duren, Jenkins, Thompson
Kevin Huerter didn’t play much for the Pistons in the first month after he was acquired in a deadline trade with Chicago, but he has been showing recently why the team wanted him, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscriber link).
The eighth-year wing made his first start as a Piston on Thursday with Duncan Robinson (right hip soreness) out, and he delivered 22 points (on 9-of-14 shooting), three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 34 minutes, which is by far the most he’s played in a game with Detroit (his previous high was 26).
“Kev’s nice, man,” said Jalen Duren. “Just playing against him over the last few years, I’d seen him as just a shooter. Him being here these last couple of weeks, I see he has a lot more to his game.
“He’s a guy who can, if you run him off the line he can get in the paint, make plays, finish. He’s meshed really well with the guys. Just in the locker room, as a teammate, he’s been really cool. I’m excited, man. I’m excited for what he can bring to the team and continue to grow with him.”
It took a while for Huerter to adjust to the Pistons and it remains to be seen how much he’ll play in the playoffs. But the impending free agent is making a case for a postseason rotation spot, according to Sankofa, who points to Huerter’s decision-making as one area in which he excels.
“That’s my biggest strength,” Huerter said. “Playing offensively, ball moves side to side, I’m able to play off of closeouts and get downhill, find guys and then we have Cade (Cunningham) who’s been out a couple of games. There’s been more of an emphasis on playing side to side and guys using the rotations of defenses to help create things.
“JD’s held it down every game inside. Everybody else seems to be pitching in where they can to fill the gaps.”
Here’s more on the Pistons, who are currently the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a 53-20 record:
- In addition to Cunningham (collapsed left lung) and Isaiah Stewart (left calf strain), who are out indefinitely, the Pistons were also playing without Robinson and Caris LeVert (right knee soreness) on Thursday. While the team knows it can’t replace all Cunningham provides offensively, Duren, Huerter and Daniss Jenkins are among the players who have stepped in his absence, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Duren is averaging 24.6 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 30.4 minutes per game in the five contests since Cunningham went down with the injury, while Jenkins is putting up 19.8 PPG, 8.0 APG and 3.6 RPG in 37.8 MPG over that same span, Patterson notes.
- Detroit has been thrilled with several aspects of Duren’s development this season, Patterson writes. The 22-year-old center, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, had another huge game on Thursday, contributing 30 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocks in 31 minutes. His seven assists represented a new season high and tied a career high. “It’s untapped potential being able to use him as a hub, put the ball in his hands and let him make plays,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “The growth he’s shown this year offensively has been through the charts. From reading coverages, reading rotations, being able to make the right read at full speed — he’s just having a phenomenal year and continuing to get better right in front of us.”
- After Thursday’s victory, Duren referred to Ausar Thompson as the “Defensive Player of the Year,” according to Sankofa (Twitter link), while Bickerstaff compared the third-year forward to a player who once won the award. “He reminds me a lot, and it may look a bit different, of how Ron Artest used to be when he would defend,” Bickerstaff said (Twitter link via Patterson). “That type of physicality, the feet, the hands, being able to be so disruptive. … I don’t think there’s many guys who can do what Ausar does.”